ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CLUB

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26998, 25 March 1953, Page 10

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CLUB

NEW BUILDING TO BE ERECTED

The foundation stone of a new building that will be the headquarters of St. Christopher’s Club, in Manchester street, Christchurch, will be laid by Bishop Joyce, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, next Sunday. The club was established in 1939 by the Rev. Father T. Bergin, S.M., with the object of providing exercise, physical and cultural for boys between the ages .of 13 and 19. In a few years, more than 1000 boys had been members of the club. The meeting place for the boys was a building which was lent to the club by Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon. On May 13. 1950. the club building was burnt down, and much valuable equipment, including a piano, an extensive library and sports amenities were destroyed. Nothing was saved and the loss to the club ran into four figures. Within a few hours of the report of the fire being published in “The Press,” Sir John McKenzie sent a cheque for £4OOO to the club’s spiritual director, the Rev. Father P. Heagney. S.M., to start a fund for the re-establishment of the club.' Subsequently. Mr Mac Gibbon presented the club with the land on which the old building had stood. Immediately, members of the club formed committees to support the offers of their benefactors, and for the last three years the funds for rebuilding have mounted steadily. Since the fire the work of the club has been carried on in restricted quarters in the new building, which will include a large gymnasium, with all facilities, a big librarv a modern cafeteria? dressing rooms and showers for athletes. The new club promises to be one of the best-equipped of its kind in New Zealand.